-Across Liberia
The Plenary of the House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Gender and Social Protection to invite the Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection along with her deputies to appear before the Committee on Monday to provide clarity on the growing incidents of bullying, harassment, abuse, and gender-based violence affecting women and children across Liberia.
Plenary’s decision followed a communication submitted by Maryland County Electoral District #2 Representative, Hon. Anthony F. Williams, who expressed grave concern over the alarming increase in cyberbullying, online harassment, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and other harmful practices targeting women and children nationwide.
In his communication to Plenary, Representative Williams noted that recent trends of online bullying and public humiliation, especially on social media platforms, continue to undermine the dignity, mental well-being, and safety of women and children.
The Maryland County lawmaker emphasized that given the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection’s statutory responsibility to protect vulnerable groups and promote social welfare, it is important for the Minister and her deputies to provide lawmakers with updates on ongoing interventions, policies, and strategic plans aimed at addressing these concerns.
According to the communication, the Minister is expected to address several key issues, including: The reasons behind the increasing bullying and harassment of women and children on social media platforms;
√ The Ministry’s plans to combat gender-based violence and domestic violence nationwide;
√ Measures are being taken to protect victims and ensure perpetrators are held accountable;
√ Existing collaborations and partnerships with relevant institutions to tackle these issues; and
√ Long-term prevention strategies, awareness campaigns, and national response mechanisms.
Representative Williams further stressed that the appearance of the Minister and her deputies will enable Plenary to better understand the magnitude of the challenges confronting women and children and ensure that adequate legislative and policy measures are pursued to safeguard their rights and well-being.
The House Committee on Gender and Social Protection is expected to conduct the engagement and subsequently report its findings and recommendations to Plenary for further action.
